


Philophobia

by EggmansGayLover (MarkingArt)



Category: Sonic the Hedgehog (2020)
Genre: Angry Pining, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Men Crying, Or Is It?, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Panic Attacks, Past Abuse, Past Rape/Non-con is hinted at, Robotnik has a cat named poppy, Self-Esteem Issues, Unrequited Love, Victim Blaming, agent stone is an angel (not literally but yknow), angry Robotnik, robotnik is emotionally constipated dont mind him, sad stone, touch-starved robotnik
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-19
Updated: 2020-04-25
Packaged: 2021-03-02 02:40:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 6,760
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23727706
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MarkingArt/pseuds/EggmansGayLover
Summary: He would never love again.  That's what he swore to himself all those years ago, after that trainwreck of his first love.  And he stood by that, for so many years.But that's when agent Stone came into the picture.
Relationships: Dr. Eggman | Dr. Robotnik/Agent Stone
Comments: 23
Kudos: 133





	1. a hot shower

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first attempt at something multi-chaptered, to test the waters for longer works. Chapters will likely be around 500 words each for this reason. I also haven't written anything centered around Robotnik yet. What i'm getting at is that i'm really insecure about this and could use feedback. The whole 'in love and hating it' seemed perfect for botnik and I just couldn't not write it. I hope y'all enjoy this! (Title was previously 'Can't you tell i've had enough of this?')

He hadn’t felt this in love since the seventh grade. Little fleeting crushes since then, of course. But nothing like that until now. The feeling of that girl’s soft hands on his; his first kiss. His heart beating fast in his chest every time he saw her body. So many people said that being in love was the best feeling they’d ever had.

Fuck those people.

He growled at the speed bag as his hand flew past it and he missed it entirely. He was distracted. Distracted by that beautiful fucking smile. The one that shined at him upon every bout of screaming insults. Maybe he was arrogant. Maybe he wasn’t afraid at all, and that sweet sweet smile was just taunting him. Robotnik ignored the one sensible part of his mind that told him he knew better. That he knew Stone better than that, how he truly was just a kind and understanding person.  _ How he knew Robotnik better than anyone else. _

A shrill yell sounded through his house, and he barely registered that it came from his own mouth. It was as good a time as any to stop, his arms were aching and he knew he'd regret exercising so hard in the morning. He was just so  _ pissed _ . Fuck everyone. He was so much better than them in every way.

So why did he have to stoop to their level?

He sighed and slumped onto his bed, idly unwrapping his hands. Why did he have to be so inefficient? It wasn’t until his damn agent came into the picture that it had started. The years before that had been wonderful, he’d gotten so much work done. The only distraction was the near-daily influx of new personal agents after he fired the last ones. His logical side was once again ignored as it brought up how malnourished he’d been; how he’d pass out in his labs and lash out at anyone who called attention to his disturbing thinness.

He didn’t bother bringing his pajamas with him to the bathroom to shower. He preferred to sleep nude when he was like this. He turned the dial so that it was almost as hot as it could go. His fancy water heater didn’t take long to get going, so he stepped in almost immediately. 

He didn’t wince at the burn anymore. What was that thing- saying how lonely people took longer, hotter showers? To hell with that. He wasn’t lonely. He knew that every human needed some sort of contact with others, he wasn’t stupid, but he got plenty. Just because he hadn’t been touched willingly in a few decades meant nothing. Talking to others was enough.

_ Her hands skimming down his chest. They grasped and twisted his most private places. He was too afraid to ask her to stop. Hadn’t he wanted this? _

He cleared his throat and shook his head. The hot shame of the memory burning in his throat was quickly ignored. He needed to wash his hair.


	2. spilled coffee

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Robotnik doesn't like to be touched.

He felt marginally better the next morning. His little hissy fit aside, he didn’t actually have a horrible day yesterday. No more than the usual as of recently. God, he really needed to get on his A-game. 

Stepping into the office at 3:00 that morning was a calming experience. Knowing that Stone would be there with his coffee in less than 30 minutes, and that he had the excess time to reflect on things was something he appreciated.

He relaxed into his chair with a sigh. But booting up his security feed immediately soured his mood. In the kitchen attached to the lab stood Stone, talking to an intern. The boy was a bit younger than Stone, and Robotnik had interacted with him enough to catch on to a strange tension between the two. The boy was obviously crushing on Stone, and the other man had caught on. He didn’t worry about it of course, Stone was entirely too professional and dedicated to his job to reciprocate any feelings he had. 

But despite this knowledge, Robotnik still felt a bitter chill in his bones at the thought of someone preying on his agent; providing competition for Stone’s attention.  _ He _ was Stone’s priority. He didn’t need him by any stretch of the word, but Stone needed to know his place.

He turned off the video feed and turned his attention to the miniature badnik he had been working on yesterday. It needed updating.

“Good morning doctor, I have your latte.” He only briefly looked back to catch a glimpse of that smile. It brought him back to his question, why was he so kind to him? Even his underdeveloped social skills could tell him that Stone deserved better. But he would appreciate it while he could. God knows it won’t last.

“Put it on my desk. Thank you, Stone.” The bouncy footsteps were far too loud in the silence of the lab. He grasped the reusable cup as soon as it was set on the desk and brought it to his lips. Another glance at the agent forced him to meet the man’s eyes. It was a habit of his to stare as the doctor tasted his coffee. He would never understand his need for approval.

“It’s good, as always.” The tension in Stone’s shoulders finally released itself. Disaster struck as he rested a hand on the doctor’s shoulder.

He shot up from his chair. His coffee fell from his hands as he clenched his fists at his side, clattering onto the ground and beginning to drip. Agent Stone instinctively took a small step back. 

“Pin yourself to the wall.” The man immediately complied, his big eyes staring fearfully into the doctor’s own. 

“I have told you many times not to touch me. Now what the  _ fuck _ came over you so that you would lay your filthy hand on my shoulder?” His seething breath warmed over the agent’s face; they were almost nose to nose. 

“I- I’m so sorry doctor, I promise it won’t happen again, I don’t know what I was thinking-”

“That’s where you’re wrong. The problem is, you  _ weren’t _ thinking. Get out, I don’t want to see you until tomorrow. By then you better have a grip on yourself. Understood?” A curt nod was given in response, and the agent scrambled out the door.

He breathed out shakily. When he returned to his desk, he picked up his tipped latte. Luckily only a bit had spilled thanks to the lid, and Stone could handle that tomorrow. Shit, he had to work alone today.

That was fine. He had done it plenty of times before. Still, he shouldn’t have kicked him out like that.

“Fuck.” He buried his head in his hands and slumped into his chair. His eyes stung. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm a little stumped about how to continue this, so I would really appreciate suggestions!


	3. California Poppies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Robotnik hates to worry his agent

He found himself unable to focus on the task at hand after he got back to work. His brain was riddled with the thought of Stone’s hand on his shoulder. Why had he done that? It brought him back to the first (and last) time the man had made that mistake. 

_ Robotnik was ignoring his newest agent. This was a tactic he only used after they made it past their first week working under him. It was his last resort for chasing off the more stubborn ones. _

_ “Doctor, I know you’re busy but I really need you to look over these papers. It’s a commission for a new machine.” He again refused to turn his head away from his monitor, instead opting to reach for his headphones. _

_ A hand brushed his upper arm. He resisted the urge to shriek and instead calmly stood from his chair. He didn’t shout at the agent whose name he didn’t bother learning. He didn’t shout, or hit him, or any of his usual antics. Because he wasn’t just irritated. He was pissed. How dare he touch Robotnik? He hadn’t been touched willingly since before his parents died. He made sure to let the man know the gravity of his mistake. _

_ What shocked the doctor was the agent’s reaction to his stern lecture. His eyes averted themselves and his face flushed. His limited social vocabulary told him he looked guilty. Why? _

He shook his head. To this day he didn’t understand why he had seemed guilty. It was probably just another natural response that went right over his head. That was when he first truly noticed Stone as someone who stood out from the others. He hadn’t been sputtering excuses, or pissing himself in fear. He simply looked away as if ashamed. He had asked his name then, and committed it to memory.

And then he went and touched him again. The thought of the brief touch sent his mind reeling. It was so warm. His heart still hammered in his chest at the thought. It had sent a tingle up his spine that he hadn’t felt since the last time he had touched him. Maybe he really was needy for human contact… 

He didn’t notice the core of the badnik heating up until it almost burned him. He jerked his hand back, hissing as it collided with the sharp side of the maintenance panel. The sting on the fleshy part of his hand told him it had cut through his glove.

Pulling his hand back and yanking off his gloves, he assessed the damage. He rolled his eyes; any physician would’ve recommended he get a few stitches. But a few butterfly bandages would suffice. The bigger problem was the blood dripping on the floor. Luckily it had missed the badnik, but Stone would flip out if he saw blood in the lab. The man was quite the mother hen to Robotnik.

He willed away more thoughts of the man as he rustled through his first aid kit It wasn’t long before his wound was cleaned and bandaged. He used the clorox wipes to wipe up the blood with a grimace. That was quite a lot. Not enough to affect him, but enough to be concerned. He was starting to think his decision to send Stone home was a good one.

His damaged glove wasn’t a problem. He simply slipped out the remote controlling device and put it in a spare glove. He was  _ always _ prepared.

Which is why as he went home late that day, he brought his gloves with him. He knew he would need to keep the injury from his agent. He couldn’t risk the man arriving before he put on his gloves and fretting over it. 

Robotnik locked his front door behind him and smiled softly at the angry yowling. Poppy dashed from the living room to greet him. She was a beautiful specimen of a sphinx cat, and the descendant of his very first pet. A kitten that  _ she _ got him on Valentine’s day. Their split only made him love that rowdy tomcat even more. His many-times-great granddaughter was just as obnoxious.

He held out his hand for her to sniff and she cringed at the smell of the antiseptic on the wound. That should get her to leave him be. He stretched as he made his way to his bedroom, figuring he would be fine if he missed just a day of exercising. He would never get to the level of muscles that he could see beneath his agent’s suit.

Beautiful Stone. He was so perfect by so many standards held by regular humans, and yet he chose to stay with the doctor. He had been offered many promotions, only to turn them down and continue working for him.

What did he ever do to deserve him?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, I really appreciate feedback and suggestions for future chapters. I really hope y'all enjoy this!


	4. Stitches

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There aren't many things Robotnik can hide from agent Stone.

Agent Stone still felt bad for his slip-up yesterday. He craved physical contact from the doctor, and the urge to simply lay a hand on his shoulder had become unbearable. However, he also knew he didn’t like being touched, and hated making him uncomfortable. That in mind, he had decided to head into the office early with a little gift for him. He had stopped by the man’s favorite cafe and bought him a chocolate muffin. Small, almost unnoticeable gifts were the best way to apologize to him, he had learned. 

He used his own key to open the door to the lab, stepping in warily. Robotnik hadn’t been in yet today, as he could tell by the silence. He sighed and placed the bag with the muffin in it onto his desk, as well as his latte. He saw the dry coffee spill on the floor. Evidently the doctor hadn’t cleaned it up after he had been sent away, although that was to be expected. But his blood ran cold as he knelt on the ground with a cloth and disinfectant. 

There was a reddish brown speck on the floor. His years of experience immediately brought dried blood to his mind. He dropped the cleaning supplies and scrambled to his feet, pulling his phone from his pocket. He had to call him- what happened? He remembered the time the doctor had broken his arm and hidden it from him. He refused to go to hospitals.

This time there was blood. He had cleaned up some of it, there were streaks from clorox wipes on the sleek flooring. He took a deep, shaky breath. For all he knew it had been a paper cut. But he couldn’t stop the growing anxiety in his chest as he remembered all the times he had been seriously injured and hidden it.

Oh god, what if it was because of him? He always got distracted when he was upset, and distraction in his line of work meant getting hurt. He knew the man was upset after he had touched him. He never bothered to imagine why, it was none of his business. But he had still done it nonetheless. He brought his hand to his face as he searched for Robotnik’s contact. 

He jumped as the door swung open. Robotnik stood in the doorway, tall and menacing as he was. He wasn’t visibly injured, but Stone knew better than to relax. He was good at hiding it.

“Stone what are you doing here so early-”

“Robotnik are you hurt? I-I saw dry blood on the floor, please tell me what happened.” The doctor sighed and looked away.

“Interrupting now, I see. It’s just a little cut, calm down. Jesus.” 

“Please let me see it, sir. I know you’re completely capable of taking care of yourself but I have medical training and… And I’m worried.” Robotnik scowled and ripped off his glove, striding to his chair and slumping into it. He held out one of his hands in the agent’s direction as he gazed at the muffin on his desk.

He tentatively leaned forward to inspect the hand. There was a gash on the side, held together by butterfly bandaids. It looked clean, but it certainly needed a few stitches. 

“This needs stitches, I know how to do them. If I get the first aid kit will you allow me to do them for you?” His voice was small, and he didn’t dare look Robotnik in the eye. He tensed in anticipation of the harsh denial.

“That would be fine, I guess. Just be quick, I have work to do.” Stone scuttled to get the first aid kit, heart hammering in his chest. He relished the concept of caring for the man who refused to care for himself.

“I’m going to numb it now, is that ok?” He hummed. He had begun to eat the muffin Stone had brought, and didn’t seem concerned with the happenings of his hand. He carefully eased off the bandaids, and injected the anesthetic in a few spots surrounding the wound. His other hand steadied the doctor’s wrist with a feather-light touch.

He made sure the stitches were clean and precise. Only his best work for Robotnik.

He was done soon, and released his hand hesitantly. 

“I’ve finished, sir. Please just be careful not to tear them.” He brought his hand up to his face to inspect it. A pleased hum left his mouth.

“Very good work, agent. These are some of the cleanest stitches i’ve seen.” His face grew hot, and he fought the urge to look away. Praise from the doctor was few and far between, he didn’t know how to react.

“Thank you.” Piercing eyes met his own, and in them resided some unidentifiable emotion. It was softer than usual.

Wishful thinking told him it was affection.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I could really use suggestions/ideas for scenarios. I know how I want this thing to end but I need some buildup. I'd love feedback of course! I hope you guys enjoyed this.


	5. Gasoline

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Robotnik doesn't like people in his space.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Back to Botnik's POV.

As the days wore on since the shoulder-touching incident, Robotnik grew bolder. He let his eyes linger on his assistant until he noticed. He would let their fingertips brush when exchanging coffee cups. It was always met with a sheepish expression and an increase in heart rate on Stone’s behalf, to which the doctor would question himself. He didn’t want him to know about his…  _ feelings. _ So why did he do these things?

Maybe he did want him to know. A part of him anticipated the inevitable uncomfortable look on his face and the too-polite rejection. Then he would be mysteriously reassigned and they’d never meet again. It would be so easy; maybe he should just tell him now.

But as he turned in his chair and opened his mouth, he caught the agent’s eyes. He had been watching him work with a gentle expression. 

He couldn’t let him go. He was so inefficient nowadays, choosing to keep the man for sentimentality rather than get rid of him for the good of his work. It was just so similar to that first time he’d been in love. He’d forego his homework and ditch class just to be with her. He would spend all of his meager money from his minimum wage job to buy her gifts. They were eventually thrown out, or burned. Whatever she had done with them, it didn’t matter in the end.

He wouldn’t make that mistake again.

“Are you ok? You seem lost in thought.” That beautiful- _ grating  _ voice interrupted his thoughts.

“I  _ was  _ lost in thought. They were important thoughts, and you interrupted them.” He let his irritation filter into his voice just to see Stone smile nervously. He turned back towards his desk. “I could use another latte.”

It was his fourth today, and it was only noon. He knew the agent ached to protest against his caffeine intake, but he also knew he wouldn’t do so when the doctor was so tetchy. He heard the door to the lab opening and closing, and as soon as his footsteps faded he brought up the security cameras in the kitchen. He scowled.

That boy was there, the one who was crushing on his agent. He was drinking coffee at the break table, and smiled at him when Stone walked into the room. He could see them conversing as he made his latte. A friendly hand placed on Stone’s back after standing next to him made something dark twist in his gut. He bitterly turned off the security feed. He had no right to be upset, they weren’t together. They never would be. 

He didn’t turn his head as the door to the lab open and he heard footsteps. He did look, however, when he heard an extra pair of feet. It took all of his willpower not to sneer at the sight.

Agent Stone had his latte in hand, but behind him trailed the other young agent. He looked, wide-eyed, around the lab. He had never been allowed in here. So what made him think he was now?

“Agent Stone, why is he here?” He smiled at the doctor, seemingly not picking up on the venom in his voice.

“This is Elliot, he asked to see the lab, he’s on break right now. I figured you wouldn’t mind as long as we don’t bother you.” Robotnik bit back a scoff, and wordlessly turned back to his work. He would  _ not _ be angry about the fact that they were seemingly on a first name basis, which he himself wasn’t. 

He heard them murmuring quietly to each other as they explored the vastness of the stationary lab. It was impossible to focus on his work. He hated people in his lab besides himself and Stone. It was his special space, where he danced and worked and enjoyed himself. Nobody else was welcome here.

“I think that’s enough, don’t you agent Stone? Escort him out.” He could see them freeze in his peripheral; his agent certainly recognized his tone of voice. He did as he was told, and then stood in his designated spot beside the doctor’s desk. Robotnik stood slowly, breathing deeply so that his anger wouldn’t overtake him.

“Pin yourself to the wall.” His eyes were big as his own hand pushed himself against the cabinets behind him. His personal space was quickly invaded as the doctor inched closer.

“I don’t know what made you think that was acceptable. You bring a stranger into my own lab, just because he ‘wants to see’. What if I was working on something confidential? What if it was dangerous and he got hurt? How would you feel then?” He gaped like a fish. “Don’t answer that; you would feel  _ bad _ . God, the insolence you’ve been displaying lately. What am I going to do with you?” He sighed at the man before him. His eyes averted so he wouldn’t see the uncharacteristically damp eyes he sported. He didn’t need any guilt on top of the vulnerability he was feeling.

He backed away and relaxed into his chair again, pretending to work on his projected monitor. He felt very unusual. As if someone had flayed him open to expose his organs. He didn’t like it.

As he wiped his own eyes, agent Stone heard a sniffle from the figure at the desk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys enjoyed this one!


	6. Sickly Lungs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Agent Stone just won't stop slipping up. It's becoming a problem.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Stone's POV again, this one is a little angsty for him.

He decided not to pry about the noise. He had his own problem to deal with. His heart had begun to hammer in his chest. He could feel his thoughts overwhelming him; a panic attack coming on. He had to get out of here before Robotnik saw.

“May I be excused to the restroom, sir?” He prayed the man wouldn’t notice the tremor in his voice. A hum of acknowledgement was heard, and he immediately dashed to the bathroom attached to the lab.

He locked the door to the single-stall room and sat himself on the toilet after closing the lid. He wrung his hands through his hair.

What the fuck had he been thinking? Elliot had simply mentioned he’d never been in the lab and he took advantage of the situation. He wanted… he wanted to make Robotnik jealous. He should’ve known it wouldn’t work. Both Robotnik and Stone knew about Elliot’s awkward feelings for the more experienced agent. It was foolish of him to take advantage of the two of them like that. Why did he always ruin good things for himself?

He had hoped that by being overly friendly with the young man in the doctor’s presence that he would feel something- _ anything _ in regards to Stone. That he would express those feelings in a fit of jealousy. Gosh, that had been horrible of him. He was a horrible, manipulative person.

He saw that vulnerability in the doctor’s eyes. He didn’t like his space being invaded. Stone had made him feel unsafe; exposed. The agent could never handle the crippling and overwhelming guilt that came with him upsetting his boss. It was awful, and almost scary how much power one person could have over his emotions. It was just like the way his heart had seized in his chest the first time he made the mistake of touching him. He’d hardly ever cared for someone so much to feel that way when failing them.

He caught himself yanking at his hair and shakily crossed his arms tight over his chest. The realization brought him back to his current position, where he was sobbing a bit too loudly and breathing far too shallowly. He sat up from his hunched position and forcefully evened his breathing. A few deep breaths later and his sobbing died down. He dried his tears with some toilet paper, and stood on weak knees to inspect himself in the mirror.

His eyes were red and puffy. His short hair was sticking straight up in places. Okay, it wasn’t too bad. He’d looked worse after panic attacks before. But he’d never had one at work. All he could do was pray that the thickheaded doctor wouldn’t notice.

He smoothed his hair with a wince. The product in it didn’t let it lay flat again, but it would have to do. He rinsed his hands under the cool water and pressed them to his eyes. After a few seconds he wiped them with a paper towel. Another glance at the mirror told him it had hardly helped. But again, it would have to do.

He stepped back into the lab with a deep breath.

“Are you doing alright, Stone? You were in the bathroom for twenty minutes.” The cutting tone of his uncharacteristically nasally voice made his stomach clench. 

“I’m sorry sir, I lost track of time.” A disappointed sigh sounded from him, and he glanced back at Stone. Then he squinted at him.

“Have you… Have you been crying?” He almost sounded disgusted. Stone pursed his lips. There was no point in lying.

“Yes I have.” Robotnik turned back to his work, hunching his shoulders up by his ears.

“Don’t do that. I can’t have you being inefficient around here. With the way you’ve been acting as of late, your days of working with me may be numbered.”

“Understood, doctor.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this update was pretty short, but I hope you guys enjoy it anyway! I've had a hard day so this isn't my best.


	7. Dinner for Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They have dinner together

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A lot of this was inspired by a headcannon discussion in the Stobotnik discord. I'm trying to make up for the last chapter being so uninspired, which I apologize for.

Robotnik brought his hands to his face and sighed heavily. The rest of the day had progressed normally for the most part, save a few sniffles from Stone’s direction. The man awkwardly shuffled his feet with a kicked-puppy expression when the doctor informed him they’d be staying in the lab’s living quarters that night. He tastefully ignored him so that his own emotions wouldn’t overtake him. 

But the second he shut the door to his room, all bets were off.

He let out a trembling breath and rubbed his stinging eyes. He would  _ not _ cry. But he would allow himself a moment to wallow in his feelings; for efficiency. 

Despite what many would think, he hated hurting his agent’s feelings. It always put a lump in his throat. But sometimes he just couldn’t stop himself from saying mean things. Perhaps it was to keep up their strict work-only relationship. There was just something about Stone showing vulnerability or being affectionate with him that made him want to lash out and say something horrible. 

When he saw him come out of the bathroom with puffy eyes and messy hair, something in him had twisted painfully. The deep discomfort and feeling of  _ wrong _ pissed him off. So once again, he did all he could to stop it. Which in this case was threatening Stone with reassignment if he didn’t stop his behavior.

But those big sad eyes he got in return just made the feeling worsen. He couldn’t focus on his work, he couldn’t enjoy his music. Immediately after informing the agent where they’d be staying he had holed himself up in his room to think. Stone would be making dinner now, and would call him out to come eat together soon. The thought of them eating together made his stomach ache with nerves. He huffed.

He had never been this emotionally vulnerable in the past. He was an efficient machine, doing what he was designed to do. Work.

And then agent Stone had come in with a flurry of beautiful smiles and perfect lattes and he was done for.

A knock on his door brought him back.

“Dinner’s ready, sir. It’s waiting for you in the kitchen.” He waited until Stone’s footsteps receded to open his door, where he made his way to the kitchen.

Stone sat opposite to the doctor’s designated seat. He had changed into more casual clothes, as he always did when spending the night in the lab. His soft-looking black sweater paired with baggy sweatpants made the scene far too domestic for Robotnik’s tastes. 

He sat down in his own seat without immediately acknowledging the agent. He didn’t want to see his expression. But he smiled softly at the plate of food before him. He had cooked a meal of spaghetti and garlic bread, and the smell was shockingly good. Nobody had ever cooked for him before. He spoke before he could think to stop himself.

“I don’t know what I would do without you.” He froze. Never mind the fact that they were very unprofessional, those words were so familiar.

_ “I don’t know what I would do without you.” He looked into her unreadable eyes as she knelt beside him where he lay on the ground. She held a tissue to his bleeding nose. _

_ The boy who had punched him was long gone, and he wasn’t in the mood to pursue him. He could’ve avoided the blow, but he hadn’t expected it. _

_ “You should really stop provoking people like that. You’ll wind up dead.” He winced. _

_ “I’m sorry, he just… I thought he was my friend.” She tutted. _

_ “Maybe he was. But you’re going to keep losing friends if you don’t stop being so… you.” He hummed in agreement, ignoring the sting in his eyes. _

“Doctor? Are you alright?” He jerked his head up to look Stone in the eyes. They were wide with concern. “I asked you what you meant by that, but you seemed lost in thought again. Have you been feeling well lately?”

“It doesn’t matter what I meant, and I feel fine. Let’s just eat.” His harsh tone made the agent drop the subject. He inspected his food a little more closely.

He knew Stone would never poison him, his almost unnerving loyalty would prevent that from ever happening. But he was still wary of the taste. He clumsily twisted spaghetti onto his fork and shoved it into his mouth.

His brows furrowed. It was… good. Better than anything else he could remember eating, and would probably be joining Stone’s lattes on his list of favorite foods.

“Agent Stone, this is wonderful. I didn’t know you could cook so well.” Stone tilted his head.

“I’m not a great cook, it’s really just mediocre. Haven’t you had better spaghetti?”

“They used to serve spaghetti for lunch in my elementary school. I didn’t care much for it.” He was beginning to look concerned.

“That’s- School food doesn’t count. Haven’t you ever had someone cook it fresh for you?” Robotnik sneered defensively.

“I don’t have parents. How, pray tell, would I have gotten a home cooked meal?” The agent flushed and looked away. There was that guilty expression again. 

“I don’t know what I was thinking. I’m sorry.” His voice was small. Shit, now  _ he _ felt guilty.

“Calm down, I don’t want your pity. Why don’t we just appreciate this wonderful meal you’ve made us?” The man perked up like a sunflower. Robotnik liked that look on him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope y'all enjoyed this one!


	8. Eat That Up, It's Good For You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things are coming to a head

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things are beginning to wrap up, I don't wanna draw it out until it's boring. Title of this chapter is a song by Two Door Cinema Club.

He almost regretted choosing to make them stay the night in the lab. But as he woke up that morning at 3:00, he knew it was the right choice. There was an important meeting that he and Stone needed to attend in an hour. It was much easier to stay there and be close to the meeting site than get up hours earlier and drive there.

Robotnik quickly dressed himself after his shower, ensuring that his mustache and hair were perfectly styled. He swiped eyeliner over his lower waterline and blinked away the dryness. A quick glance at the security camera feed he had pulled up on his phone told him that Stone was waiting patiently in the lab, already prepared for the day.

Finally dressed and groomed, he stepped into the lab. Stone beamed at him as he always did.

“I see you’re ready, let’s head out a little early.” The shorter man nodded in compliance, and they began the trek through the corridors. The stationary lab was settled in the center of a large building with winding hallways that many interns had gotten lost in. Robotnik had even once caught Stone a ways away from the lab confusedly wandering.

He hoped the officials they met with today had a hard time finding the meeting room.

He knew these people weren’t bad, per se. No more than anybody else he worked for. But god, were they  _ pushy. _ He gave them perfect machines but they wanted more guns.

He slumped down into the chair at the head of the table in the meeting room. He didn’t even have to look to know that Stone stood obediently behind him and to the right. The memory of last night with him almost made him blush, but he tamped down the thoughts.

Interns and officials slowly trickled in as the time for their meeting neared. At last, the only one that mattered entered the room and took a seat opposite to Robotnik. His own personal agent stood behind him and eyed Stone warily.

“Pleased to see you, mister…?”

“Adams.” Robotnik smirked at the irritated tone.

“Right. Well, what really matters is that I’ve made leaps and bounds of progress on the drones I’m making for you. They feature my signature sleek white design, but the outer casing can be interchanged to better blend in with the sky or terrain. They have the most firepower of any drone made ever.” The man looked impressed. Robotnik glanced back at his assistant.

“That’s incredible, doctor.” He cleared his throat loudly, suddenly. This time he could feel his face heating up and couldn’t stop it. Adams gave him a smug look.

“Indeed, that is incredible. Since your work is progressing as planned, we will be going through with the payment. While you continue to work on the drones, you may want to work on the little crush you seem to be harboring. It’s painful to watch.” Robotnik heard Stone sputtering behind him, and stood abruptly from his chair.

“I think we’re done here, don’t you agent? Thank you for your time, mister Adams. And I’ll keep your comment in mind while working on the lethal weapons you’ll be in close contact with. Good day.” He stormed from the room with Stone in tow.

“Doctor Robotnik- about what he said…”

“Just drop it. That man is a dimwit with a god complex, he doesn’t know what he’s talking about.” Stone took a few quick little steps to walk beside him.

“You know, I-If you were to have feelings like that-”

“It would be unprofessional and a waste of time. I told you to drop it.”

“Listen to me! What I was going to say is that it’s ok. I- I have feelings for you.” Stone’s face paled and his eyes widened comically. He hadn’t meant to say that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Robotnik wearing eyeliner was a headcanon I myself stood by religiously and then I held a conversation about it with some other people and I just had to write it in real quick. That's all I have to say really.


	9. A Lesson

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They need to talk some things through

Robotnik’s own eyes widened. He felt his heart twist in his chest. He knew this feeling.

_ He sat on his own at his lunch table. Someone was walking up behind him but he knew to ignore them, they were only there to make fun of him. He did turn to give a withering look when they tapped on his shoulder. _

_ It was a boy from the grade above him. Robotnik had seen him spending time with that pretty girl who was nice to him. He held up his hands defensively and then gave him a folded slip of paper and returned to his own lunch table. _

_ He hesitantly unfolded the paper, fully aware that it was probably a prank. There was a note written in small, curly handwriting.  _

_ ‘Dear Ivo, _

_ It’s me, the girl in your math class! I don’t know if you even remember me, but you helped me with the classwork. I noticed you sit alone at lunch and thought you would like to come sit with us!’ _

_ Robotnik sneered, crumpling the letter. He knew this game. He wouldn’t go over there only to be poked fun at. _

_ He jumped as someone slid into the seat beside him. It was the girl. _

_ “Hey, I’m not messing around. Nobody should have to sit alone.” He smiled warily at her as her friends relocated to the seats around him. _

_ It had been four months since that day. Her friends became their friends, and the bullies started to back off. She was universally loved, even the meanest boy was smitten by her friendly charm. A few things raised some red flags for him; sometimes she said something and then pretended it never happened. She believed that the bullying was prompted by him. But he had to admit one thing. He was head over heels. _

_ She was fully aware of this. He had told one of their mutual friends in confidence, but of course they had told her. She thought it was cute. _

_ He sat at their lunch table awaiting the rest of them to arrive. His hands idly fiddled with a calculator he had reprogrammed. A smile broke out on his face when he saw her approaching. But it faltered when he saw her face. It had that devious smile that never meant anything good. She sat across from him and ripped the calculator from his hands. _

_ “Okay. I know you have feelings for me. To put it bluntly, I have feelings for you too. So I'm asking you out.” Robotnik gasped, and his heart twisted painfully. _

“Robotnik? Please say something, I’m so sorry! I shouldn’t have said that.” Robotnik looked him in the eyes. He saw nothing but earnest affection. And, well, unbridled fear. He couldn’t do this. He couldn’t keep storing away his feelings because of what happened so many years ago. This was as worthy a man as any to give his heart to.

“Ivo.”

“I-I’m sorry?”

“You can call me Ivo. Because… Because I return your feelings. I  _ do _ like you. But there’s a lot we need to talk about. I say we should go to my house and talk things through.” Stone gaped, wide-eyed. 

“My name- My name is Aban. You can call me that- If you want to that is.” He spoke breathlessly, voice full of nervousness.

“Alright, Aban. Get the car ready, we’re going to my place.”

The drive to his house was silent. Stone had attempted to ask questions, but was shut down with a ‘It’s best not to talk about this while driving.’

Robotnik welcomed the other man into his house and led him to sit on his couch. He sighed heavily.

“I need to know I can trust you.”

“Doc- Ivo of course you can trust me. Why?” His eyes were as soft and caring as always. He had to tell him about this, it would be a huge part of their relationship and integral to their mutual trust.

“There’s a reason I didn’t tell you about my feelings sooner. You know if I want something I get it. But I had a bad experience the first- and last time I ever loved someone. I told myself I’d never love anyone after that. But then you came in- you came in and ruined it, for lack of better words.”

“I’m- I’m sorry.”

“She manipulated me. I was so young and naive and I let her. She touched me when I didn’t want her to and convinced me I had wanted it. I know you’re better than that, and so am I. But this isn’t going to be easy. I’ve never been in a healthy relationship before. It’s going to be a lot of work for both of us to keep this up and I just don’t know if I can put you through that-” Stone grasped his hand and interrupted him.

“You’re worth it. You mean the world to me, Ivo. Don’t ever let anyone make you believe you aren’t worth it. And- oh, I grabbed your hand I’m so sorry.” As he pulled his hand back, Robotnik reached forward to grab it again.

“It’s going to take time, and It’s going to suck sometimes. But if you’re willing to teach me how to have a healthy relationship I’m willing to learn. You mean the world to me too, Aban. I meant it when I said I didn’t know what I’d do without you.” Stone smiled at him with watery eyes.

“I love you Ivo.”

“I love you too, Aban.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's all, folks! This is super short in comparison to most other's pieces but it's the longest thing I've ever written and boy am I proud. I really hope you guys were able to enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it.

**Author's Note:**

> Again, I know this is short but I would really appreciate positive feedback and constructive criticism!


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